Coke cleaning device



Aug. 22,1939. G. J. LANGMYHR y coxn CLEANING DEVICE Filed March 19, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet l.

Aug. 22, 1939. e. .L LANGMYH'R 2,170,660

COKE CLEANING DEVICE Filed March 19, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .ll/l A G. J..LANGMYHR CQKE CLEANING DEVICE Filed March 19, 193e 3 sheets-sheet 3 Aug. 22, 1939.

Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE assignor to Standard Oil Development Company, a corporation of Delaware Application March 19, V1936, Serial No. 69,673

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a device for cleaning the interior of hollow vessels such as the reaction chambers or soaking drums of oil treating apparatus and to some extent has been described in my previous application Serial No. 652,685, led January 20, 1933.

It is anr object of this invention to provide a guide which will prevent swaying of the driving' or boring shaft or ram of the cleaner. It is a further object of this invention to provide for lubrication of the guide. Another object is to provide for cooling of the boring shaft and the guide coupling to prevent crystallization of the boring shaft coupling caused by the alternate heating and cooling effect thereon during the cleaning operation. Still another object is to provide a construction whereby the hydrocarbon gases contained in the vessel can be replaced with steam.

Other objects will'be apparent from the specifica-tion and from the accompanying drawings, in which latter Fig. 1 is a Vertical sectional view through a preferred form of apparatus for carrying out the invention. i

- Fig. 2 is a detail vertical sectional view through a portion of a soaking drum, showing the head f the cleaning device in engagement with the vcoke and showing the guide in its operative position, a portion of the guide and shaft being broken away.

Flg. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line III-III o1' Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the annular hinged hub for supporting thaguidelarms.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the structure for eifecting rotary movement of the drive shaft.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a detail vertical sectional view of the ram structure for effecting longitudinal movement of the drive shaft. y y

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral I designates the metallic shell of a receptacle such as a soaking drum used in the heat and pressure treatment of hydrocarbon oil. The

shell I is lined with a layer of reinforced concrete 2. During the heat and pressure treatment of hydrocarbon oils in the soaking drum, the contents of the drum are subjected to conditions which result in the deposit of a layer of coke 4, or the like, upon the wall of the drum. This layer 4 of coke becomes sufliciently thick to necessitate shutting down of the heat and pressure treatment of the oil, so that the drum can be cleaned of the deposit of coke. The shell of the drum I normally converges to a relatively vsmall manhole at its bottom, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The man-head isremoved and the head of the excavating device is introduced through the manhole.v Ordinarily, this is done before the contents of the soaking drum have had an opportunity to cool down to atmospheric temperatures.

The cleaning or excavating device comprises a tubular arm or shaft 6 provided with a reamer head I2 having annularly projecting cleaner arms 1, which are adapted to engage and grind away the layer of coke 4. The excavating device is driven in rotation by driving device 8 disposed exteriorlypf the soaking drum.

The upper end of the shaft 6 is provided with a guide to retain the shaft and cleaner arms 1 in predetermined spaced relationship from the wall of the reaction chamber.A The shaft 6 is provided With a bushing I3 which is rigidly secured to the shaft 6 in any suitable manner. The guide comprises a frame formed of a split hub I5 hinged at I6, the sections of the split hub being locked together at The split hub I5 is provided with a plurality of spaced arms 20. The arms carry outwardly extending arms 22 which are pivoted between the arms 20 for vertical pivotal movement by means of pins 24. The arms 22 carry rollers 25 at their outer ends. The rollers 25 protrude radially outwardly to a greater distance than the arms 'I of the reamer head. The arms 22 can be pivoted upwardly to permit of the introduction of the guide through the relatively small manhole of the soaking drum. The arms 22 are provided with shoulders 26 which bear against the hub I5 when the arms 22 are in their radial position, to prevent the arms 22 from dropping downwardly to a position in which they would be inoperativeyto function as guides.

'I'he excavating device is moved longitudinally into the reaction vessel by an hydraulic lift. The hydraulic lifting apparatus includes a base from which a casing 3| depends. An hydraulic cylinder 32 projects from the base 30 into the casing 3| in spaced relation to the casing 3|, to form an annular space 33. 'Ihe hydraulic cylinder is supported at its top by means of ahead 36 associated with the base at its bottom by means of a shoe 3l. The shoe 31 cooperates with the casing 3| and cylinder 32 to form the seal for the bottom end of the annular chamber 33. A bull plug 39 is attached to the bottom end of the casing 3|. Water pressure for 30, and is supported the purpose of raising the drive shaft 6 longitudinally through the required height in the soaking drum, is introduced into the annular chamber 33, through a pipe line 4I from any suitable source of supply (not shown). lThe water is delivered from the annular chamber 33 into the lower portion of the hydraulic cylinder 32 through a plurality of ports 43.

The hydraulic pressure is transmitted to the drive shaft 6 through the following arrangement of parts. The drive shaft 6 carries at its lower end an assembly which comprises a cylindrical plunger 45 which completely fills the cross section of the hydraulic cylinder 32. The plunger stem 46 extends through the plunger 45 and at its upper end is secured to a lignum-vitae disc 41. The lignum-Vitae disc 41 bears against a housing 48 containing lower and upper ball races 11 and 18 respectively. The upper ball race 18 is secured to the bottom end of the drive shaft 6 and held in place by a collar 19. The plunger 45 is adapted to be forced longitudinally upwardly in the casing 32 by the hydraulic pressure of the liquid contained in the portion of the casing 32 below the plunger, and designated 33a.

The excavating device is driven in rotation from -a shaft 50 connected to a steam engine or the like (not shown). The shaft 50 rotates a pinion I. The pinion 5I drives a rotary turntable 52 which is carried by a portable frame 54 so as to provide means for moving the cleaning device from one container to be cleaned to another. A drive bushing 55 is fitted to and securely attached to the rotary turntable 52. Keyways 56 are provided in the drive bushing 55 and keys 58 have a driving fit with the keyways and with suitable recesses in the drive shaft 6. .l

In utilizing the device for cleaning a soaking drum the device is positioned beneath the manhole of the drum. Fluid, such as water or other non-inflammable liquid, is injected through the line 4I to cause the shaft 6 to be driven upwardly longitudinally through the manhole. Upon insertion of the upper end of the shaft 6 through the manhole, the cleaner arms 1 are secured to the head of the excavating device. The arms 22 are held in their pivoted position substantially parallel with the 'longitudinal axisl of the shaft 6 until the guide arms have passed into the soakin'g drum, after which the guide arms 22 are permitted to pivot outwardly to the radial position, asgillustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 3. Rotary movement of the shaft 6 is now effected. The rotating reamer head 1 effects a grinding and wearing away of the deposit of coke from the interior of the vessel. The resulting strain upon the reamer head and shaft effects lateral sway thereof. This swaying action is prevented by engagement of the guides 2 2 with the cleaned wall of the drum. As a consequence, the reamer arms 1 are prevented from removing or injuring the lining 2 of the soakingdrum. While a shell lined with reinforced concrete -has been shown and described, it will be understood that the shell can be unlined, in which the guide rollers 25 prevent the reamer arm 1 from delivering damaging blows to the butt straps and rivets' and wearing annular grooves in the forged steel reaction chamber. The guide rollers are therefore prevented from increasing the rate of corrosion and from promotin'g cracks in the shell.

Lubrication is effected between the bushing I3 and the hinged split hub I5 of the guide, through the following arrangement of parts. lThe connection between the tubular shaft 6 and the reamer lhead I2 is effected by means of a tubular collar 60 which has screw threaded connection with the shaft 6 and with the reamer head I2. The end of the tubular shaft 6 is formed into a reservoir 6I for lubricant by means of partition plates 63 and 64, which are secured in fluid-tight relation to the inner walls of the shaft 6. The lubricant is introduced into the lubricating chamber 6I by removing a plug 61. 'I'he lubricant is delivered from the lubrication chamber 6I to lubricate between the hinged split hub I5 and the bushing I3 by means of a port 65 which opens through the wall of the tubular shaft 6 and through the bushing I3.

Crystallization of the boring shaft and couplings caused by the alternate heating and cooling effect on boring shaft and couplings during the cleaning operation, is prevented through the following construction. A portion of the water used for raising the drive shaft 6 through the required height in the soaker is by-passed into the tubular shaft, as follows. The water passes from the chamber 33a through apertures 10 in the protruding end of the plunger stem 46 into the bore 1I, which extends longitudinally of the stem. The bore 1I communicates with bores 13 and 14l in the lower and. upper ball races 11 and 18 respectively. The bore 14 opens into a passageway 15 through the collar 15 which passageway in turn communicates with one in the end of the hollow shaft 6. The water is forced upwardly through the entire length of the drive shaft and ows upwardly through tubes 80 extending through the lubricant reservoir, 6 I, where it functions to cool the coupling of the hub i5 to the shaft 6 through the medium of the lubricant in the reservoir 6I. The hydraulic fluid flows from the tubes 80 into a chamber 8| formed in the end of the shaft 6, and is delivered from the chamber 8l through a port 82 laterally against the shell of the container I. The hydraulic fluid is relatively cool in temperature and functions to prevent over-heating of theshaft 6 and the hub of the guide. The hydraulic liquidV therefore insures free turning movement of the hub I5. The stream of water ejected through the port 82 from the rotating tubular shaft 6 assumes a spray-like form which facilitates the transformation of -the water into steam upon striking the hot walls of the container I. The steam displaces the highly explosive mixture of oil vapor and air, which normally forms within the reaction chamber I. The jet of water tends to keep down the dust which forms as a result of the grinding away of the layer of coke by the reamer arms 1.

Various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims in which it is desired to claim all novelty inherent in the invention as broadly as the prior art permits.

I claim:

l. An excavating device having a head for removing solids from a container and a tubular shaft for rotating and advancing lthe head through the container, a guide for the head including a collar rotatively mounted on the shaft, a lubricant reservoir in the portion of the shaft adjacent the collar, a port opening through the shaft from the reservoir into the bearing between the collar and shaft, hydraulic means including non-inflammable liquid for advancing the shaft, means for diverting a portion'of the non-inflammable liquid into the shaft, and tubes extending from the interior of the shaft through the reservoir for cooling the lubricant.

2. An excavating device having ahead for removing solids from a container and a tubular shaft for rotating and advancing the headthrough the container, a guide for the head including a. collar rotativeiy mounted on the shaft, a lubricant reservoir disposed within the shaft adjacent the collar, a port opening through the shaft from the reservoir into the bearing between the collar and shaft, a fluid chamber disposed 10 within the shaft above said reservoir, a plur-ality of tubes extending through said reservoir connecting said fluid chamber with the interior of the shaft, hydraulic means for advancing the shaft, including a non-inflammable liquid, means for diverting a portion of said liquid into the interior of the shaft below said reservoir, and

a port discharging through the wall oi' said shaft from said chamber to permit a constant iiow of liquid through the tubes in said reservoir.

vGEORGE J. LANGMYHR. 

